Sunday 24 June 2012

Where you stand effects what you see

Where you stand effects what you see. And I suppose when you stand in a place of comfort, the way that you see the bible, the way that you see your faith is very much through that lens. And so i guess the challenge for me has been to stand in some different places and particularly some more challenging places, and alongside some people who are facing some particular challenges and see how very much different the bible looks from those vantage points.

One day i realised that I believed all the things i was supposed to, and it made absolutely no difference to the way that i lived. I was no different to the person next to me. My wife challenged both of us "If we really believed all the things we say about God - it would actually radically change the way we live." And so I guess our challenge since then has been to bridge that gap between what we say we believe and the way that we live.

Those quotes are from Rev Simon Moyle in an interview on ABC's Sunday Nights when asked about his upbringing in 'middle class, Sunday morning comfort'.

When Jesus says that he's come to bring life, what he doesn't mean is just the white picket fence with a house in the suburbs. He's actually saying something much greater.

It's good to get this kind a challenge from time to time. Often as a church we retreat from the world and focus on ourselves. Too much of this means our faith suffers (through a narrow perspective) and our actions become less like Jesus. This is not good for us, and not good the neighbours we are called to love.

Sunday 10 June 2012

Kingdom Of God

What did Jesus mean by the "Kingdom of God" and how is it relevant today? That was the topic for discussion on the Palm Sunday episode on ABC Sunday Nights.


Suggestions included "a different way of living" and "letting God be in charge for a change". Part of the discussion was how church itself (as a rich institution) is often an obstacle to living out godly values. (Side note: I was recently sent this picture by a friend)
"What other organisation in Australia has people gathering every week in every community across the nation? Why cannot we be a very strong voice for an alternative way of living? We just seem to freak away from it."
One guest, Prof Richard Burridge, asked "To what extent does the church and its teaching follow Jesus?" and gave money and war as two examples of the church historically acting contrary to the gospel. He also lamented the current trend to refer to a "biblical" lifestyle, based on "one or two areas of sexuality" and completely missing Jesus' radical challenge to society operates.

He thinks that "far too often we're reading it (the bible) in terms of a mirror and using it to reflect back our previous prejudices." Rev Ray Cleary agreed, saying "every Christian ought to be up in arms about our treatment of asylum seekers".

Perhaps the most telling remark came right at the end. "Those who want to follow the path of the crucified, have got to look out for thorns." Often, i'm not sure we're ready for that kind of discomfort.

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